Are We Preparing the Next Generation of Student Affairs Leaders?

Leadership transitions are inevitable. But they don’t have to be disruptive.

Succession planning, when done intentionally, ensures that colleges and divisions retain institutional knowledge, maintain momentum, and develop strong leaders from within. Now more than ever, it’s time to treat succession planning as a strategic priority.

Stats, Research, and Context

Student affairs faces a looming leadership gap. According to a report from NASPA, nearly 50% of senior student affairs officers expect to retire or leave their roles within the next five to ten years. This leadership turnover comes amid growing demands for innovation, accountability, and equity across higher education.

However, many institutions lack formal succession planning. The College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR) found that fewer than 30% of colleges have any formal process for leadership development or succession in student affairs. This oversight can lead to lost momentum, poor onboarding, and missed opportunities to grow promising staff into strong, prepared leaders.

The Cost of Neglect

Many organizations fall into the trap of short-termism, focusing on immediate needs without thinking about the leadership landscape two or five years down the road. In higher education and beyond, succession planning is often treated as a back-burner issue, only surfacing when a leader gives notice or a crisis forces quick decision-making.

This lack of foresight has real costs:

• Loss of institutional knowledge occurs when experienced leaders walk out the door with no transition plan.

• Inefficient onboarding for external hires who must quickly learn complex systems and cultures.

• Low morale among internal staff who see little investment in their growth or future, leading to more attrition of frontline staff.

The fallout is not only internal. Externally, an organization without a clear succession strategy can appear unstable to accreditation bodies, boards, major donors, and state legislators, who view consistent leadership as a sign of good institutional health.

What Great Organizations Do Differently

High-performing organizations treat succession planning not as a luxury but as a core leadership responsibility. They understand that talent development is a long game and embed it into the culture of management at every level.

First and foremost, great organizations talk about it. Succession planning is not a taboo subject or something whispered about behind closed doors. It’s a transparent, strategic conversation woven into leadership meetings, team evaluations, and goal setting. Leaders openly ask, “Who’s ready for the next step?” and “What will we do if this key person leaves?”

They also develop their bench long before they need to. This means identifying high-potential employees, offering them stretch assignments, encouraging them to lead initiatives, and providing real-time coaching. Not everyone will want to lead, but those who do shouldn’t have to wait for someone to retire before they’re given the chance to grow. [Additional Reading: Leading a Meeting? Here are the Biggest Mistakes to Avoid]

In these organizations, knowledge transfer is intentional, not accidental. When transitions happen, they’re supported by documentation, cross-training, and mentoring, so leadership isn't just tied to one individual but distributed across a capable, prepared team.

Importantly, succession planning in these environments reflects a commitment to equity. Leaders are developed intentionally, not just plucked from the familiar or visible few. This reduces bias in advancement and builds a leadership pipeline that’s more diverse, inclusive, and representative of the communities the organization serves.

Student Affairs as a Case Study

While succession planning is essential in all industries, it holds particular urgency in student affairs. With nearly half of senior student affairs officers expecting to retire in the next decade, and with mid-level professionals often reporting burnout and lack of upward mobility, the pipeline is at risk.

Yet student affairs also offers a model for what’s possible. Institutions that prioritize leadership development through fellowships, mentorship programs, and internal promotions are better prepared for turnover and more effective at retaining talented staff. [Additional Reading: 5 Ways Advisors Can Use Online Tools to Help Undecided Students]

When a director mentors their team to take on new responsibilities, or when a division creates a culture where emerging leaders are encouraged to grow, the result is more than a plan; it’s a promise of continuity, purpose, and progress.

Building a Culture, Not a Crisis Plan

The organizations that thrive during leadership transitions are the ones that view succession planning as a cultural value, not a crisis response.

• They build structures where leadership is not concentrated in a few, but cultivated in many.

• They refuse to let institutional memory walk out the door unrecorded or underutilized.

• They ensure that their next generation of leaders doesn’t arrive by accident, but by design.

And most of all, they act now, not later.

Conclusion

Succession planning is a reflection of an organization’s vision for the future. It asks not just “Who will lead next?” but “How are we preparing people to lead well?”

In student affairs, it’s time to move beyond reactive hiring and toward intentional development. Because when the next transition comes, and it will, divisions should be able to say not just, “We’re ready,” but “We’ve been ready for a while.” [Additional Reading: Academic Advisors' Mental Health is a Critical Issue]